Patents Assigned to DROPBOX, INC.
  • Patent number: 9858577
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology involve the delivery of digital content via a synchronized content management system (CMS) in return for a payment. For example, a first user could send a share link containing a content item to a second user. Upon attempting to open the content item, the second user could be prompted to input payment information. In response to providing the payment information, the second user could select the share link enabling the second user to download the content item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: John Adams, Aditi Jain, Matteus Pan
  • Patent number: 9852377
    Abstract: One or more embodiments of a content system provide machine-learned storage location recommendations for storing content items. Specifically, an online content management system can train a machine-learning model to identify a storage pattern from previously stored content items in a plurality of storage locations corresponding to a user account of a user. Training the machine-learning model includes training a plurality of classifiers for the plurality of storage locations. The online content management system uses the classifiers to determine whether a content item is similar to the content items in any of the storage locations, and based on the output of the classifiers, provides graphical elements indicating recommended storage locations within a graphical user interface. The user can select a graphical element to move the content item to the corresponding storage location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventor: Neeraj Kumar
  • Patent number: 9854384
    Abstract: A sharing user of a content management system can request to share a content item in his namespace. When such a request is made, the sharing user's client device broadcasts a notification that can be received by devices that are within a limited broadcast range of the sharing client device. A receiving user's client device that is within the limited broadcast range of the sharing client device receives the broadcasted notification. Based on the notification, the receiving client device obtains a token from the sharing client device that identifies the content item being shared by the sharing user. At the request of the receiving user, the receiving client device transmits the token to the content management system and requests that the content management system add the shared content item to the receiving user's namespace with the system. The receiving user can then access the item from his namespace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: David Zhang, Huy Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9852147
    Abstract: Selective synchronization and distributed content item block cache optimization for multi-premises hosting of digital content items. In one embodiment, for example, a method comprises: detecting an attempt to access a placeholder file corresponding to a content item, the placeholder file stored in the local storage of the computing device; determining one or more identifiers of one or more content item blocks of which the content item is composed; determining any content item blocks of the one or more content item blocks that are not stored in the local storage of the computing device; downloading, from one or more other computing devices coupled to a network to which the computing device is coupled, any content item blocks of the one of more content item blocks that are not stored locally in the local storage of the computing device; and filling the placeholder file with the one or more content item blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcio von Muhlen, Nils Bunger
  • Patent number: 9848033
    Abstract: A system and method for proactively sending hosted content items to user computing devices. In one implementation, an online content management system collects access event data representing a plurality of access events pertaining a plurality of hosted content items. The system determines a cross-device access signal for a first hosted content item. The system then detects a first access event pertaining to the first hosted content item. Thereafter, the system determines whether the first access event matches the cross-device access signal. If the first access event matches the cross-device access signal, then the system sends a second hosted content item to a user computing device. The second hosted content item can be the first hosted content item. Alternatively, the second hosted content item can be a content item that is related to the first hosted content item according to the access event data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Samir Goel, Franck Chastagnol, Abhishek Agrawal
  • Patent number: 9846528
    Abstract: A secondary device receives presence information for a content item that is synchronized by a content management system with the secondary device and with a primary device. If a user of the primary device is present as indicated by the presence information, a collaboration element is displayed on the secondary device. Responsive to a user input at the collaboration element, a collaboration request is sent to the primary device, and collaboration information enabling collaborative interaction with an instance of the content item on the primary device is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Eccleston, Robert Baesman, Sang Tian
  • Patent number: 9846822
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward systems and methods that enable more accurate digital object classification. In particular, disclosed systems and methods address inaccuracies in digital object classification introduced by variations in classification scores. Specifically, in one or more embodiments, disclosed systems and methods generate probability functions utilizing digital test objects and transform classifications scores into normalized classification scores utilizing probability functions. Disclosed systems and methods utilize normalized classification scores to more accurately classify and identify digital objects in a variety of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: David J. Kriegman, Peter N. Belhumeur, Thomas Berg, Nils Peter Welinder
  • Patent number: 9841875
    Abstract: In a synchronization or back-up system that synchronizes and/or back-ups files from multiple computing devices, the present invention provides a method for (1) displaying files from multiple computing devices in a multi-view user interface and (2) enabling content and file operations to be performed on such files through the user interface. The multi-view interface includes a file-system view and one or more media-specific views. In the file-system view files are organized in the same way in which they are organized on the devices on which they are stored. The file-system view in the interface looks essentially the same as the file-system view on client devices. In the file-system view, users can perform file operations on files. In the media-specific view files are organized by media category. In one embodiment of the media-specific view, files are organized by metadata that relates to the files content. In the media-specific view, users can perform content operations on the files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek Patel, Mark C. Dixon, Gibu Thomas, Ashish Chordia, Nichole C. Gabriel
  • Patent number: 9843446
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for rotating security keys for an online synchronized content management system client. A client having a first security key as an active security key may send a request to a server for a new security key as a replacement for the first security key. The server may receive the request and generate a candidate security key. The server can issue the candidate security key to the client device. After receiving the candidate security key, the client may send a key receipt confirmation message to the server. In response to the confirmation message, the server may mark the candidate key as the new security key for the client and discard the client's old security key. The server may send an acknowledgment message to the client device. In response, the client may also mark the candidate key as its new active key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventor: Anton Mityagin
  • Patent number: 9836205
    Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present disclosure include a content management system that allows a user to easily activate a camera while viewing digital content. For example, a content management system can provide a graphical user interface that includes a scroll element that allows a user to navigate through digital content. In addition, a user can interact with the scroll element to activate a camera. For instance, a user can activate a camera by scrolling the scroll element to and/or beyond a particular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Ramesh Balakrishnan, Christopher Lee, George Milton Underwood, IV
  • Patent number: 9836469
    Abstract: An automation plugin to a digital asset editing program. In one embodiment, for example, a method performed by the automation plugin to the digital asset editing program executing on a computing device having at least one processor and memory comprises: allowing a user of the digital asset editing program to filter a library of digital assets by custom metadata associated with the digital assets; receiving custom metadata filtering criteria from the user; and responsive to determining one or more of the digital assets are associated with custom metadata satisfying the custom metadata filtering criteria, allowing the user to select at least one filtering result, corresponding to one of the one or more digital assets, which, when selected, causes the corresponding digital asset to at least be loaded into the digital asset editing program for editing by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Morgan Knutson, Joshua Puckett, Mike Myers
  • Patent number: 9832176
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for a non-replayable communication system are disclosed. A first device associated with a first user may have a public identity key and a corresponding private identity. The first device may register the first user with an authenticator by posting the public identity key to the authenticator. The first device may perform a key exchange with a second device associated with a second user, whereby the public identity key and a public session key are transmitted to the second device. During a communication session, the second device may transmit to the first device messages encrypted with the public identity key and/or the public session key. The first device can decrypt the messages with the private identity key and the private session key. The session keys may expire during or upon completion of the communication session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventor: Graham Abbott
  • Patent number: 9832475
    Abstract: Techniques for image recompression. In one implementation, the techniques are implemented to recompress a baseline joint photographic experts group (JPEG) image with compression savings. The techniques replace the Huffman coding of baseline JPEG with an arithmetic coding that uses a sophisticated adaptive probability model. The arithmetic coding techniques avoid global operations such as global sorting that would prevent distributed and multithreaded decompression operations when recovering the original JPEG image from the recompressed image. At the same time, the techniques realize substantial compression savings relative to baseline JPEG, on average 23% compressing savings in some implementations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Horn, Ken Elkabany, Keith Winstein
  • Patent number: 9832264
    Abstract: A sharer account of a content management system may share a link to a non-synchronized (i.e., read-only) version of a content item, with a recipient that already has access to a synchronized (i.e., read-write) version of the content item. This can possibly be due to the sharer forgetting that the recipient already has access to the synchronized version, the sharer finding it more convenient to share the link, and/or due to various other reasons. The present disclosure can determine that the recipient, with whom the link is shared, already has access to the synchronized version of the shared content item. The recipient can be notified that he already has access to the synchronized version and can be provided with an option to access the synchronized version (which can be stored locally at the recipient's device and/or stored online at the recipient's account with the content management system).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventor: Anthony Grue
  • Patent number: 9826004
    Abstract: A content management system creates and modifies user notification queues for shared content items synchronized between a content management system and multiple devices. A user notification queue includes interactions with a shared content item that may be presented to a user to indicate recent interactions with the shared content item by other sharing users. The content management system sends the user notification queue corresponding to a user to the user's device when the user accesses the content item. The client device displays a content item in a window associated with a process on the device. A client application displays an interaction indicator that presents user notification queue content to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Julian Michael, Anvisha Pai
  • Publication number: 20170330149
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for ordering editing operations in collaborative editing of shared content items. The content management system can receive an edit operation from a first client for a content item that is shared for collaborative editing between the first client and a second client. In response to receiving the operation, the system can send an update to the first client including a previous operation received from the second client prior to receiving the operation from the first client, wherein the update can instruct the first client to perform a transform operation to transform a parameter of the operation according to an effect of the previous operation received from the second client. The system can then receive a result of the transform operation from the first client and update the shared content item based on the previous operation and the result of the transform operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Rian Hunter, Alex Zhai
  • Publication number: 20170329990
    Abstract: A user of a content management system can store one or more content items at the user's account with the system. In some instances, the system can generate and present a preview of a content item of interest (e.g., a content item selected by the user). In addition to the preview of the content item, the system can generate and present a web address or other machine-readable code referring to (or otherwise associated with) the preview of the content item. Various embodiments of the present disclosure can enable the web address or other machine-readable code to be sharable and to provide access to the content item (or a copy thereof). For example, the user who is previewing the content item can share the web address of the preview with one or more other users. The one or more users can then access the content item via the web address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Ziga Mahkovec, Christopher Beckmann, Rian Hunter
  • Patent number: 9819740
    Abstract: A content management system synchronizes content items across client computing systems. The content items are transmitted to the content management system and managed as blocks of data with a fixed size. When a new content item is added to synchronized data at a client, the client transmits the blocks and a blocklist to the content management system. The content management system uses the blocklist to determine blocks expected to be received at the content management system and the client begins to transmit blocks of the content item to the content management system. When blocks received at the content management system match expected blocks, the content management system notifies receiving clients to begin receiving blocks for the content item, prior to receipt of all blocks on the blocklist at the content management system. This enables content items to begin synchronization across clients prior to actual entry of the content item into the content management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Bogdan-Cristian Tataroiu, Nipunn Koorapati
  • Patent number: 9817987
    Abstract: Various embodiments restrict or enable access to content items of an account based on login information or content request properties. For example, a synchronized online content management system can receive a request including one or more content request properties from a client device to access a user account. Access rules for the user account can be obtained and applied based on the content request properties to generate an access status. In one instance, the client device is provided with full account access if the access status indicates that the client device is an authorized device. In another instance, if the client device is an unauthorized device, at least one aspect of access to the user account is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventor: Anton Mityagin
  • Patent number: 9817878
    Abstract: A content management system synchronizes content items across client computing systems connected by a network. Each client device has a storage allocation for synchronized shared content items. If the storage allocation for shared content items on a client device is exceeded by the request to add or edit a content item such that it is enlarged, or open a large content item remote to the client device, a client application or the host of content management system selects content items to remove from residence on the client device but keep remotely on content management system. Upon removal of the selected content items, the client application creates shadow items, representing the content item but only containing the metadata of the content item. This creates sufficient space for the initial request to be completed while maintaining user access to all synchronized shared content items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin Zeis Newhouse